FC BARCELONA
Messi, Coutinho, Umitti… Barça settles its deferred debts from 2020
Published New:28/06/2025 - 18:59h
Updated New:28/06/2025 - 18:59h
Barça has settled the outstanding debts from deferred contracts during the pandemic, including the salaries of Leo Messi and other squad figures for a total of €121.7M
The board of directors of FC Barcelona has finally managed to get rid of the economic burden derived from the management of Josep Bartomeu and the losses generated by the covid-19 pandemic. At the end of 2020, the then Azulgrana president presented his resignation and the management board, led by Carles Tusquets, began negotiations with the team's referents to defer their salaries.
While players like Marc-André ter Stegen, Frenkie de Jong and Gerard Piqué chose to renew in the long term to defer their emoluments ('Geri' retired in 2022, forgiving a good part of his remaining salary), other players such as Leo Messi, Samuel Umtiti and Philippe Coutinho left the club with outstanding debts.
In total, the club deferred 121.7 million euros in salaries and variable bonuses for players and coaches. This month, the club settled the last 16 'kilos' of a debt transferred in eight semi-annual installments, with payments made in the months of June and December of 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, ending in the summer of 2025.
Barça finally manages to settle its debt with Leo Messi
That is how 20 first-team players negotiated a salary deferral, with Leo Messi logically accumulating a greater debt with the club. 'La Pulga' was billing 47.6 million euros at that time and agreed to defer 42.9% of his annual fixed emoluments, along with 100% of the variable bonuses.
The club's last outstanding payment to the Rosario native, paid in June of this year, was 5.96 'kilos', according to 'SPORT'. Second on the list was Samuel Umtiti, who in 2020 billed €23.1M. Although the Frenchman terminated his contract in 2023, the club still owed him 9.9 'kilos' which were paid this month.
Further back are the contracts of players such as Sergio Busquets (€22M), Antoine Griezmann (€18M), Jordi Alba (€17.6M) and Philippe Coutinho (€15.9M), while other players such as Ousmane Dembélé and Miralem Pjanic also had deferrals to collect of 5.1 million each.
Of the current squad, only Ronald Araujo and Pedri González had deferred salaries to collect, although below one million euros. More significant was the debt with Sergi Roberto (€4.8M) and Neto Murara (€2.5M). Even Sergiño Dest (1.3), Martin Braithwaite (1.2) and Junior Firpo (1.1) accumulated deferrals exceeding one million euros.
Ronald Koeman and Barça also settle their outstanding accounts
On the other hand, Ronald Koeman also deferred almost 6 million of his salary. Although the Dutch coach and his staff were dismissed in October 2021, the coaching staff had a contract until June 2022 for 15 'kilos' gross per year.
In total, the coach agreed to his departure receiving 10 million in compensation, which was paid from mid-2022 until June of this year. His collaborators received less than 1 million per season and were also compensated with payments in installments (7).
In addition to the Barça coaching staff at that time, the club also preferred to defer the salaries of nine reserve team players, including Iñaki Peña and Oriol Romeu, both on the departure ramp this summer. After four years, the Azulgrana team has finally settled its outstanding accounts.
